Flood Situation in the Northern Province

The North is bracing for more severe weather as the province may experience thundershowers over 100 mm during the weekend, which could worsen the already serious disaster situation in the area, a spokesman for the Department of Meteorology said yesterday. The rains and floods have displaced over 5,700 people and affected 10,852 persons, Disaster Management authorities said.

The Kilinochchi district has been the worst hit, leaving 4,633 persons and 1,347 families affected by the recent flash floods. Those displaced are housed in 21 safe locations. Kilinochchi experienced heavy rain – 225 mm – 370 mm on Friday resulting in heavy floods that has left many villages in the district submerged and inaccessible.

As communication was affected, officers from the Tri Forces and the police were engaged in rescue efforts using boats to reach the affected areas. The water levels of the Iranamadu tank are currently 38 feet, which is over its capacity of 36 feet, resulting in all its spill gates being opened, the sources said.

Acording to a spokesman for the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Mullaitivu was also similarly affected and the authorities are assisting 4,443 persons while 1,414 families are bracing themselves to face the severe floods. Traffic on the A9 road, especially, in the Mankulam area has been hampered receiving the highest rainfall of 365.1 mm in the past 24 hours.With many tanks in the area having already reached spill level further rains may worsen the floods, the sources said. The Forces and the police will begin their rescue operations today.

The army and navy, officials of Disaster Management Centre (DMC) were deployed in coastal and inland areas for rescue operations.In Mullaitivu, the worst flood-hit district, 4443 persons from 1414 families were affected and are being sheltered in 20 temporary camps. In Kilinochchi, 4633 persons from 1347 families were affected, according to the situation report issued by DMC yesterday noon.

According to an advisory issued by the Department of Meteorology, many parts of the northern region received more than 300 mm of rainfall by yesterday morning. Mankulam and Oddusuddan areas recorded rainfall of 365.1mm and 302.1 mm within 24 hours on Friday.“As active clouds are developing over the North, East, Puttalam and North-Western parts of the island, showers or thundershowers will occur at times due to low level atmospheric disturbance,” the department said yesterday, while forecasting heavy rain fall acceding 100 mm in some places.
“The Army and the Navy are assisting us in civilian rescue operations. Some 1305 affected families are currently sheltered at 22 temporary shelter camps,” Mullaitivu District Secretary R. Ketheeswaran said.All seven sluice gates of the recently renovated Iranaimadhu reservoir were opened in the early hours of yesterday as the water level increased up to 36 feet, the maximum capacity of the reservoir.

Soon after the sluice gates were opened, residential areas in the lowland of Karachchi and Kandawalai started flooded forcing locals to evacuate immediately.Civilian transport facilities were also limited as the A9- Mankulam road was inundated. Boat services for northern islands were also stopped since Friday.